Hogwarts:Take Two
by Distraught Chickadee
Summary: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has been a haven to many confused and lost souls. It's no different for this new band of students, facing the challenges of school, love, and the ongoing quest to find happiness with minimal degrees of success


**Author's Note:** Hey all! Welcome to my little ficlet Hogwarts: Take Two. I'd like to start by stressing the fact that this is a very different sort of romance from what you're used to-new characters, new situations. But still the same Hogwarts! So sit, back relax, and I hope you enjoy it. If not, constructive criticism is welcome.

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, the credit for this wonderful world goes to JK Rowling, the muse behind many a plot bunny. Enjoy!

**1**

Stella trudged up to her dormority after a particularly harsh day of classes, wishing the piles of books and scrolls flooding her desk would disappear into oblivion. _I should probably get started on that History of Magic essay- Dervish does like to have his work printed especially neat _she thought, slumping into her cushiony chair and proceeding to clear her small oak desk off. Well, clean it off at least to the point where she could actually write anyway. "Bloody Professors, I told Dad I needed a larger desk the last time I was home. But did he listen to me? No, of course not- oh,what do we have here?" she asked, momentarily forgoing the fact she had lapsed into a small monolouge with herself to inspect the small scrap of parchment she had discovered amongst her books. Carefully unfolding the thin slip of paper, her face almost immediately dimpled into a smile as she read its contents:

_Angel-_

_Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you, as always. It really has gotten to be a habit, you know, a habit I have come to depend upon as I trudge through my day. Your hair, your lips, your eyes...God, the day would be absloutely meaningless if I you weren't the Angel I focused on. You are my guiding light Stella, I'd be lost without you baby. Study hard my Love, and stay safe. _

_David_

She had to admit, the boy could write. _Angel, huh? Well, I don't know about that..._she thought, blushing and twirling a soft blonde curl around her finger as she re-read the letter. Her spirits had lifted at the mere sight of her name in David's lightly scrawled hand, but as with each one of his letters, she grew positively giddy after reading his sweet words. The homework momentarily forgotten, she curled up into her chair and drifted off into a rather wild and irrational daydream about her romantic utopia, the letter curled tightly in her small hand. Stella enjoyed lapsing into these delicious comas after reading one of David's letters-they transported her to an ideal world devoid of Prefect duties and Death Eaters, arguements and curses. It was a world she desperately needed to know existed on some level in order to face each day with some sembalance of composure.

Eddy Curant approached his fellow Prefect's dormitory with the quiet, cat-like steps acquired from countless duels and late-night raids on the Kitchen. _Hopefully she took the notes for Potions-Blondie's normally reliable for notes..._he thought, unaware that the mere thought of his blonde-haired companion on the other side of the door made him break into a small smile. Ever since that fateful day he had knocked into Stella on the way to Charms 6 years ago, the two of them had been insperable. _Has it really been 6 years? My, how time does fly when you're having fun _he mused, opening the door and almost immediately regretting it.

She was day-dreaming again. To Ed, that only meant one thing-David. The oily Slytherin was a suspicious character to the 18-year old boy- and he had seen enough of those in his lifetime to judge them with some authority. Growing-up with a step-father who owned a seedy pub meant you knew a thing or two about human behavior that the common-man may not catch, and while he couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what led him to believe the dark-haired man was a bad egg, Eddy was certain he was not a person his friend ought to be seeing. But he'd managed to swallow the urge to protect her, had been able to keep his concerns hidden thus far. _Stella's able to take care of herself, she knows what she's doing_ his conscience told him soothingly, trying to quell the heartache he felt as he sat there, watching her day-dream.

Walking over to her, he gently touched her arm. "Hey there, Earth to Stella..." he said softly, unable to take another second of this trance-like state she'd been in because of David.

Snapping to a state of alertness, the blonde sheepishly smiled at her friend. "Hey there. When did you come in? I didn't hear you."

"A second ago." Eddy answered quietly, smoothing the quilting of her bedspread and carefully sitting on it. His heart broke a little more at seeing he had been right about the letter-the evidence was right in Stella's hand. "Another letter I see."

At hearing his observation, she turned her face from his, hoping he wouldn't see the pinkness tinging her cheeks. "Yes, another one. David has quite the knack with parchment and quill; he's able to put his emotions on paper in a way I've never seen anyone write before." Stella breathed, shifting to look up into her friend's eyes when she was sure her face had cooled. _But..._

Ed's breath caught in his throat, as it always did when his companion fixed her sparkling blue eyes on his. The doubt he felt in those cherished eyes made the pull on his heartsrings even more potent than before, if that were possible. "Got anything to add to that, Blondie? You can tell me anything, you know. That's what I'm here for." He said with a small smile, completing forgetting about the Potions notes he had originally sought his friend out for. The only thing he could focus on were those incredible eyes of hers. Each time she gazed at him, he felt alive and scared at the same time-this, understandbly unnerved him. A lot. _God, she's doing it again..._he thought, groaning inwardly.

She hesitated for a moment, but aside from the fact Eddy would be gloating secretly, she felt there was little harm in telling him her concerns about David's intentions. Yes, she may have been blonde, but she wasn't _blind_. Stella knew her fellow Prefect detested the Slytherien-the proof was in his eyes. Eyes that looked more than a little distracted at the moment..."It's just, well...we've only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks. Isn't he going a wee bit too far? I mean, he certainly can't mean all the sentiments he writes and says to me... can he?" she asked softly, hoping fervently her thoughts weren't going to make the lovable prat sitting across from her laugh.

He laughed. It was an affectionate, nervous laugh, more to check himself than anything else. "Stella, I don't think you realize how infectious you are to some people. I mean, for David, just talking to you for five minutes may brighten his day. Your smile may be all he can think about, just as he writes." _Certainly the case for me_ he thought, averting his eyes to her gingham bedspread and trying not to sigh. "My point is, what he says could be true-just talk to him about it. Let him know how you feel, that you want him to slow down a little. If he cares for you as much as he says, he'll listen." He finished playing the good friend in a light tone, smiling reassuringly at her.

Trying her best to suppress a smile, Stella swatted her companion playfully when he giggled. "You're such a goofball, you know that?'' she asked, laughing herself as she pushed a stray curl out of her eyes. "But I do believe you're right-I just need to talk to him, that's all. Thank you for your input, Eddy-Boy." She added, a smiled dimpling onto her face as she cocked her head to the side and gave him a good once over. _Definitely not the gangly little Firstie I met _was the first thing that popped into her mind as she took in his rangy build. The boy had always been tall, no doubt about that. But gone now was the gawky, awkward 11-year old she had become so acquainted with – apparently, right before her very eyes he had filled out very nicely. _Very_ nicely. And when you combined that with his ruggedly handsome face and deep brown eyes, it was a rougish, irresistible combination that had most likely won many a young witch's heart. _I wonder why he doesn't have a girlfriend-and how on Earth I didn't notice how much he'd changed before_...she mused, being brought back to reality when she saw the patented deer in the headlights look on the object of her scrutiny's face.

_Oh. My. God. Oh, my God..._Ed's brain kept repeating this, until it became a mantra of sorts for him. His cheeks flamed a brilliant, obvious red, and he immediately looked down when she saw his face. "W-what is the matter? Do I have dirt on my face or something?" _Oh my God..._

Smiling, she bit back a laugh at the color of his cheeks. "I was just trying to think of what exactly your reason was for coming over here, that's all. Could it have possibly been the Potions class today? The class you slept in?" she added teasingly, her blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

If it was possible, the poor boy's cheeks got even redder. "I-I well, sort of, um, came over here to see if you had the notes from today, yes.''he stammered out, sufficiently embarassed . "Would you happen to have them?" Ed wondered vaguely if he would return to his original hue at all this evening. He caught the smile of delight on Stella's face and flushed again. _Nope, no chance of that..._

Wordlessly, she got up and crossed the room to her desk. She sifted through the minature mountain of notes she had taken that day and plucked the Potions set from the pile. Sauntering across the room to her spot on the bed, she sat down and handed them to him. "There we are- one freebie, pal. Next time, you'll owe me."

Grinning, he took the notes in his hand and happened to glance at his Muggle watch as he did so. 9:13. _Crap! How could I have forgotten I had to be down in the Kitchens by 9?_ Eddy thought, mentally kicking himself as he hopped off the bed. 'Hey, Stella? I have to run. I'll get these notes back to you sometime tomorrow, thanks a bunch." He said, reaching to wrap her up in a quick embrace, and took a brief moment to look her in the eyes. "You make sure you tell Davey-Boy your concerns, alright?"

"A-aye, Captain." Stella answered promptly, hugging him back and

smiling. "Sleep well."

"Same to you, Blondie." He murmered softly, reluctantly tearing himself away from her arms and eyes and heading for the door. Turning around, he gave her one last smile before exiting the Dormitory completely in a fog of contentment and frustration. _Why did you ever agree to help him? Why?_ He asked, kicking himself all the way down to the Kitchens.


End file.
